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2004 GMC Sierra 1500

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 GMC Sierra 1500 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 181.

About this comparison →

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

186 reports with mileage · 26 unknown

NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.

What to inspect

Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.

  • Electrical System. Review the 81 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 22 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

8 crash reports1 fire reports4 injury reports

What owners actually said

212 reports
59,600 miles · Feb 14, 2008
Power Train

2004 GMC SIERRA SLE W/TRAILER TOWING PACKAGE, 2-WHEEL DRIVE. 2ND OWNER. NEVER USED TO TOW WHATSOEVER. EXTREMELY WELL CARED FOR. 59,665 MILES. STARTED MAKING "ROARING" NOISE FROM READ END. CALLED GM TO ASCERTAIN IF HELP FOR PROBLEM AVAILABLE. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO LAWRENCE-HALL, ABILENE, TEXAS FOR EVALUATION. LAWRENCE HAL…

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2004 GMC SIERRA SLE W/TRAILER TOWING PACKAGE, 2-WHEEL DRIVE. 2ND OWNER. NEVER USED TO TOW WHATSOEVER. EXTREMELY WELL CARED FOR. 59,665 MILES. STARTED MAKING "ROARING" NOISE FROM READ END. CALLED GM TO ASCERTAIN IF HELP FOR PROBLEM AVAILABLE. THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO LAWRENCE-HALL, ABILENE, TEXAS FOR EVALUATION. LAWRENCE HALL SAYS BEARING IN DIFFERENTIAL HAS FAILED. GM REFUSES TO HELP IN ANY WAY WHATSOEVER WITH THE REPAIR, AND EVEN SAYS THAT I AM LIABLE FOR THE COST OF THE EVALUATION, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE THE ONES WHO TOLD ME TO TAKE IT THERE, AND EVEN THOUGH THEY NEVER SAID THAT THEY WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT. WHEN THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT THERE, THEY IMPLIED THAT THEY WOULD PAY FOR THE EVALUATION. I CONTEND THAT AT 59,000 THAT BEARING SHOULD NEVER HAVE FAILED; THAT MILLIONS OF VEHICLES GO 2, 3 AND 4 TIMES THAT DISTANCE AND NEVER HAVE THAT PROBLEM, AND THAT HAD THIS LOCKED UP, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED DEATH AND INJURY TO DRIVER, PASSENGER AND OTHERS. ALSO CONTEND THAT GM SHOULD HAVE TOLD ME THAT IF THEY DECLINED TO PAY FOR THE REPAIR, THAT I WOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC CHARGE. WHEN I DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF, THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME 3 TIMES THAT "THE COURTESY VEHICLE IS OUT THERE WAITING FOR YOU," IMPLYING FOR ME TO HURRY UP AND GET OUT THERE, BUT THEN, AS I WAS ON MY WAY OUT THE DOOR, BROUGHT ME A CLIPBOARD AND TOLD ME TO FILL IN MY CONTACT INFO "SO WE CAN GET A HOLD OF YOU." I HANDED IT BACK TO HIM, AND HE SAID I NEEDED TO SIGN IT TO GIVE THEM PERMISSION TO WORK ON IT. BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN RUSHING ME, I SIGNED IT AND WALKED OUT. NOW IT APPEARS THAT THEY THINK THAT SINCE I SIGNED THAT FORM THAT I ACKNOWLEDGE TO THEM THAT I AM LIABLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIR. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10218047

28,500 miles · Jan 16, 2008
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER STOPPED WORKING, STUCK AT 55MPH. APPARENTLY A WELL-KNOWN, WELL-DOCUMENTED FACTORY DEFECT. NO RECALL APPARENTLY HAS BEEN ISSUED. AT SOME POINT TRAFFIC DEATHS WILL BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THIS DEFECT. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10215178

31,000 miles · Jan 13, 2008
Steering

2004 SIERRA 1500 WITH 31,000 MILES IT DEVELOPED A KNOCK NOISE EVERTIME I DROVE OVER A MILD BUMP. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE STEERING SHAFT. THEY REPLACED IT AT NO CHARGE AND TOOK ABOUT AND HOUR. *TR VERY GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE WITH THIS DEALER.

NHTSA ODI #10214658

46,462 miles · Dec 28, 2007
Electrical System

2004 GMC SIERRA 1500 WITH 46,500 MILES - YESTERDAY THE SPEEDOMETER STOPPED RESETTING BACK TO 0, RATHER IT STAYED UP AROUND 60-90 WHEN THE TRUCK WAS STOPPED AS WELL AS TURNED OFF. CALLED DEALER IN AN ATTEMPT TO HAVE THIS REPAIRED UNDER THE SPECIAL COVERAGE ADJUSTMENT/INSTRUMENT CLUSTER (EFFECTIVE AS OF 9-28-07). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10213039

100 miles · Dec 17, 2007
Service Brakes, Hydraulic

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT EXCESS PRESSURE BEING APPLIED. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURS AT LOW SPEEDS, SUCH AS 15 MPH. HE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IDLING WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED, THE PEDAL EXTENDED TO THE FLOOR WITHOUT EXCESS PRESSURE BEING APPLIED. THE FAILURE ONLY OCCURS AT LOW SPEEDS, SUCH AS 15 MPH. HE HAS NOT TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 28,000.

NHTSA ODI #10212053

Mileage unknown · Dec 7, 2007
Steering

2004 GMC SIERRA WITH WORN STEERING SHAFT. CONSUMER STATES THAT IT SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF BY GMC BECAUSE THE VEHICLE IS ONLY 3 YEARS OLD AND ONLY HAS 50,000 MILES ON IT. *KB

NHTSA ODI #10211688

91,000 miles · Dec 3, 2007
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER SUFFERS ERRATIC OPERATION. I HAVE OF A PICTURE OF THE SPEEDOMETER REGISTERING 90 MPH WHILE IDLING IN THE DRIVE WAY. AT HIGHWAY SPEED THE SPEEDOMETER IS "OFF THE SCALE." *TR

NHTSA ODI #10210639

60,000 miles · Nov 30, 2007
Electrical System

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE SPEEDOMETER WORKED INTERMITTENTLY AND DISPLAYED INACCURATE SPEEDS BEFORE COMPLETELY FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AT THAT TIME AND HAS SINCE WORSENED. GENERAL MOTORS HAS A LE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE SPEEDOMETER WORKED INTERMITTENTLY AND DISPLAYED INACCURATE SPEEDS BEFORE COMPLETELY FAILING. THE VEHICLE WAS UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT A WARRANTY ITEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AT THAT TIME AND HAS SINCE WORSENED. GENERAL MOTORS HAS A LETTER OF INTENT ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL, BUT BECAUSE THE VEHICLE HAS EXCEEDED THE 70,000 MILES SPECIFIED IN THE LETTER, THE CONTACT WAS DENIED THE REPAIR. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 98,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000.

NHTSA ODI #10210415

18,000 miles · Nov 27, 2007
Power TrainSteering

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN AT 15 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING SHAFT. THE DEALER LUBRICATED THE STEERING SHAFT AND THE NOISE CEASED. HOWEVER, THE NOISE HAS CURRENTLY RETURNED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE…

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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 GMC SIERRA 1500. WHILE MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN AT 15 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING SHAFT. THE DEALER LUBRICATED THE STEERING SHAFT AND THE NOISE CEASED. HOWEVER, THE NOISE HAS CURRENTLY RETURNED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THIS WAS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE THAT WOULD HAVE TO BE CORRECTED ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 18,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 46,000. UPDATED 12/12/2007 *BF THE CONSUMER ALSO STATED THE TRANSMISSION SHUTTERED. UPDATED 12/12/07.

NHTSA ODI #10210030

31,000 miles · Nov 6, 2007
Electrical System

SPEEDOMETER STICKS AND GIVES FALSE READINGS. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10208035

Official recalls

2

04V562000 · Equipment Adaptive/mobility

Nov 26, 2004

ON CERTAIN VANS EQUIPPED WITH SURE-LOK WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT SYSTEMS, THE SPROCKET TEETH OF THE RETRACTOR ASSEMBLY IS OUT OF ALIGNMENT.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IN THE EVENT OF A VEHICLE CRASH, THE WHEELCHAIR MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY SECURED POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURIES TO A WHEELCHAIR OCCUPANT.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE WHEELCHAIR SECUREMENT RETRACTORS AS NECESSARY. SURE-LOK WILL HANDLE THE REPAIRS FOR THIS CAMPAIGN. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT SURE-LOCK AT 1-908-231-1804 OR MOBILITYWORKS AT 1-800-769-8267.

04V240000 · Tires:temporary/emergency Spare Tire

May 17, 2004

THE SPARE TIRE AND WHEEL ASSEMBLY THAT WAS PROVIDED ON CERTAIN CONVERSION VEHICLES WILL NOT FIT ON THE FRONT WHEEL HUB DUE TO OFFSET OF THE WHEEL. HOWEVER, IT WILL FIT ON THE REAR WHEELS.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: IF SOMEONE HAS A FLAT TIRE ON THE FRONT WHEEL, THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO INSTALL THE PROVIDED SPARE TIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SPARE WHEEL WITH THE CORRECT OFFSET. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN ON JUNE 11, 2004. OWNERS SHOULD CONTACT REGENCY AT 1-800-989-4727.

Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗

NHTSA investigations

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.